the reproach of Christhttps://ronconte.wordpress.com
the blog of Ronald L. Conte Jr., Roman Catholic theologian and Bible translator
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1 http://wordpress.com/https://ronconte.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/fotolia_211846792_xs1.jpg?w=32the reproach of Christhttps://ronconte.wordpress.com
3232Is Muhammad Ali in Heaven?https://ronconte.wordpress.com/2019/01/21/is-muhammad-ali-in-heaven/
https://ronconte.wordpress.com/2019/01/21/is-muhammad-ali-in-heaven/#respondMon, 21 Jan 2019 13:24:45 +0000http://ronconte.wordpress.com/?p=7367Continue reading →]]>Muhammad Ali is most well-known for his boxing career. He converted to Islam in the 1960’s; he died in 2016 after enduring a long illness (Parkinson’s disease). After retiring from boxing, and more so after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Ali dedicated his life to helping persons in need.

“Ali was known for being a humanitarian and philanthropist. He focused on practicing his Islamic duty of charity and good deeds, donating millions to charity organizations and disadvantaged people of all religious backgrounds. It is estimated that Ali helped to feed more than 22 million people afflicted by hunger across the world.” Wikipedia

On the other hand, his personal life included two divorces, followed by two remarriages, allegations of adultery, and the sexual abuse of a minor (12 years old). Wikipedia. These are objectively grave acts. In particular, regardless of the teachings of one’s religion, it is clear to reason that adultery and child abuse are grave sins.

Is he in Heaven?

We can say, as an article of faith, that certain persons are in Heaven: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, John the Baptist, Apostles Peter and Paul, other persons whom Sacred Scripture attests lived holy lives. We can say, in accord with the decision of the Church, that all the canonized Saints are in Heaven (though it is an open question whether canonizations are infallible). We can also say, with a certitude which is based solely on the certitude that they were in fact baptized, that baptized infants who die at that young age are in heaven.

For other persons, we cannot say with absolute certitude. However, when a person lives a holy life, exemplifying the teaching of Jesus to love one’s neighbor, we can know, with only human certitude, not absolute certitude, that if what is known about the person is true, and if they had no hidden unrepented mortal sins, then they are likely in Heaven. However, most persons enter Heaven by way of Purgatory.

Did Ali repent of his past grave sins? Did he die in a state of grace, which is the state of loving God and neighbor? We have no information on that repentance. However, repentance from actual mortal sin can occur by implicit perfect contrition, that is, by an act of selfless love of God or neighbor, without explicit reference to the past sins. Such a repentant person would then go forward to live a life of love of God and neighbor, such that his acts of faith and love indicate that past, at least implicit, repentance.

In my opinion, Ali’s great love of God and neighbor, shown in his dedication to Islam and to good works to persons in need, his generosity in donating his wealth to charity, and his perseverance in good works despite the suffering of Parkinson’s all show full cooperation with grace, and love of God and neighbor. Therefore, I think that Ali did go to Heaven, probably by way of Purgatory.

How is it possible for someone who converts to Islam, from a Christian background, to go to Heaven? If their choice of Islam over Christianity is not an actual mortal sin, if it occurs with a sincere but mistaken conscience, then the person can be in a state of grace. And by implicit perfect contrition, they can return to grace after any actual mortal sin.

]]>https://ronconte.wordpress.com/2019/01/21/is-muhammad-ali-in-heaven/feed/0ronconteMy Next Bookhttps://ronconte.wordpress.com/2019/01/20/my-next-book/
https://ronconte.wordpress.com/2019/01/20/my-next-book/#respondSun, 20 Jan 2019 17:27:29 +0000http://ronconte.wordpress.com/?p=7359Continue reading →]]>My next book is on the subject of eschatology: “Summary of Future Events”. It is a summary of the material in my other 8 or so books on the topic. One book of around 200 pages summarizing everything from the present day to the general Resurrection.

The book is almost completed. I have one more chapter to go, and then a review of everything for a last edit and proof-reading. The book should be out by early February. I’ll also be putting my book The Indefectibility of the Pope into print format soon also.

Why do you permit the Church Militant staff to defend the heresy of Feeneyism and to attack church officials who are defending dogma? Do you agree with the contents of this article, and its shameful false accusations against a vicar of the diocese of Manchester, NH?

A new article from ChurchMilitant.com, a website founded and run by Michael Voris and St. Michael’s Media, accuses “Father Georges de Laire, appointed by Bp. Peter Libasci as judicial vicar and vicar for canonical affairs” of changing dogma into heresy: NH Vicar Changes Dogma Into Heresy. The article has a by-line saying only “Church Militant”, with no other authorship ascribed. If you are going to accuse anyone of heresy, especially a top diocesan official, it is unfair to remain anonymous.

First of all, it was not Fr. Georges who is ultimately responsible for the action in question. According to the article itself, he was acting ” ‘at the direction’ of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.” So if the act in question changes dogma into heresy, the accusation is actually against the Holy See. In addition, the CDF does not take actions of this type without approval from the Roman Pontiff, in this case, Pope Francis.

The dogma in question is “Outside the Church, there is no salvation”, Latin: Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus (EENS). Here is the official teaching of the Magisterium on that subject in the encyclical Redemptoris Missio.

“10. The universality of salvation means that it is granted not only to those who explicitly believe in Christ and have entered the Church. Since salvation is offered to all, it must be made concretely available to all. But it is clear that today, as in the past, many people do not have an opportunity to come to know or accept the gospel revelation or to enter the Church. The social and cultural conditions in which they live do not permit this, and frequently they have been brought up in other religious traditions. For such people salvation in Christ is accessible by virtue of a grace which, while having a mysterious relationship to the Church, does not make them formally part of the Church but enlightens them in a way which is accommodated to their spiritual and material situation. This grace comes from Christ; it is the result of his Sacrifice and is communicated by the Holy Spirit. It enables each person to attain salvation through his or her free cooperation.

“For this reason the Council, after affirming the centrality of the Paschal Mystery, went on to declare that “this applies not only to Christians but to all people of good will in whose hearts grace is secretly at work. Since Christ died for everyone, and since the ultimate calling of each of us comes from God and is therefore a universal one, we are obliged to hold that the Holy Spirit offers everyone the possibility of sharing in this Paschal Mystery in a manner known to God.” [Redemptoris Missio, inner quote from Gaudium et Spes 22]

“For those too who through no fault of their own do not know Christ and are not recognized as Christians, the divine plan has provided a way of salvation. As we read in the Council’s Decree Ad Gentes, we believe that “God in ways known to himself can lead those inculpably ignorant of the Gospel” to the faith necessary for salvation (AG 7). Certainly, the condition “inculpably ignorant” cannot be verified nor weighed by human evaluation, but must be left to the divine judgment alone. For this reason, the Council states in the Constitution Gaudium et Spes that in the heart of every man of good will, “Grace works in an unseen way…. The Holy Spirit in a manner known only to God offers to every man the possibility of being associated with this paschal mystery” (GS 22).”

“For those, however, who have not received the Gospel proclamation, as I wrote in the Encyclical Redemptoris Missio, salvation is accessible in mysterious ways, inasmuch as divine grace is granted to them by virtue of Christ’s redeeming sacrifice, without external membership in the Church, but nonetheless always in relation to her (cf. RM 10). It is a mysterious relationship. It is mysterious for those who receive the grace, because they do not know the Church and sometimes even outwardly reject her. It is also mysterious in itself, because it is linked to the saving mystery of grace, which includes an essential reference to the Church the Savior founded.”

Yes, even those persons who “outwardly reject” the Catholic Christian Church can possibly be saved, without external membership, without baptism of water. For a baptism of desire can be implicit, as explained in my post on the topic. Who taught that baptism can be implicit? St. Thomas Aquinas, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Pope Pius IX ( in Singulari Quadam), Pope Saint Pius X in his Catechism, Pope Pius XII through the Holy Office (August 8, 1949) and Pope Pius XII, on June 29, 1943, “On the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ”. Vatican II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church also teach that persons who are formally outside the Church, not being baptized with water, can still be saved.

The teaching “Outside the Church, there is no salvation” is only true if properly interpreted. And the interpretation of the Church Herself is that “Church” is to be understood broadly: “this applies not only to Christians but to all people of good will in whose hearts grace is secretly at work” [Gaudium et Spes 22]. So this interpretation of EENS is the official teaching of the Church, and, under the ordinary and universal Magisterium it is a dogmatic teaching, meaning it is infallible and a required belief under pain of heresy and automatic excommunication.

The diocese of Manchester NH corrected the Saint Benedict Center, NH for teaching the very same ideas condemned by the Church when they were taught by Fr. Feeney. That Center is run by a group founded by Fr. Feeney: the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This set of errors is called the heresy of Feeneyism. It was condemned by the CDF:

Letter of the Holy Office to Archbishop Cushing of Boston, approved by Pope Pius XII, August 8, 1949 condemned the errors of Feeneyism and asserted the contrary, that implicit baptism of desire is a path to salvation for the unbaptized.

“Therefore, that one may obtain eternal salvation, it is not always required that he be incorporated into the Church actually as a member, but it is necessary that at least he be united to her by desire and longing. However, this desire need not always be explicit, as it is in catechumens; but when a person is involved in invincible ignorance God accepts also an implicit desire, so called because it is included in that good disposition of soul whereby a person wishes his will to be conformed to the will of God. These things are clearly taught in that dogmatic letter which was issued by the Sovereign Pontiff, Pope Pius XII, on June 29, 1943, “On the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ” (AAS, Vol. 35, an. 1943, p. 193 ff.). For in this letter the Sovereign Pontiff clearly distinguishes between those who are actually incorporated into the Church as members, and those who are united to the Church only by desire.”

The teaching of the Saint Benedict Center on this question is found on their website: Catholicism.org Doctrinal Summary. There, the organization defends the heresy of Feeneyism, by quoting him extensively and by appealing to him, as if he were an authority on doctrine, when in fact he is a condemned heretic. The “doctrinal summary” explicitly rejects a baptism of desire, implicit or explicit (!!!), by saying that, if someone is in good conscience, God will provide him with water and someone to baptize using that water (even if miraculously). The same foolish principle is applied to the baptism of blood, by the claim that an unbaptized martyr obtains a baptism of blood solely by being provided with someone to give them a baptism of water before death. In this way, the baptism of desire and of blood, an infallible teaching of the ordinary and universal Magisterium, is turned into nothing buy a baptism of water.

So far from changing dogma into heresy, the diocese, at the direction of the Pope and the Holy See, rebuked the Saint Benedict Center for teaching the heresy of Feeneyism, instructed them not to call themselves Catholic and not to claim to present Catholic teaching. Furthermore, the diocese has denied a priest be appointed to serve at the Center. The diocese is therefore defending dogma on salvation, and rebuking heresy.

Church Militant

The Church Militant article, NH Vicar Changes Dogma Into Heresy, defends the teaching of the Saint Benedict Center, and accuses the diocese of Manchester NH, and by implication the CDF, of rejecting dogma and promoting heresy. The article claims that the SBC was merely presenting “the Church’s official teaching on the need for all souls to join the Church in order to be saved.” To the contrary, the SBC rejects the official teaching of the Church on implicit and explicit baptisms of desire and on the baptism of blood, in order to openly teach Feeneyism.

The article then, nonsensically, claims that the SBC was merely teaching the same doctrine as Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Yes, those sources teach EENS, but they teach it in a very broad form, which is entirely incompatible with the teaching of the SBC and Fr. Feeney.

The article claims: “The lay faithful of the Saint Benedict Center deserve commendation for their hard work in spreading one of the most important doctrines of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, they find themselves persecuted by the vicar of Bishop Libasci.” But that Center does not spread the doctrine of the Church, but rather the error of Feeneyism. The “Doctrinal Summary” previously quoted explicitly refers to Fr. Feeney as if he were an authority on doctrine, and quotes him, in agreement, extensively. So they are not spreading true doctrine, but heresy. And the diocese is defending dogma and rebuking heresy, not “changing dogma into heresy”.

The article ends with personal attacks on the vicar, Fr. Georges, supported only by the repeated assertion: “Church Militant has learned.” The anonymous author(s) of the article have no theological ground on which to stand, so they make personal attacks.

Michael Voris videos on Salvation

In his “Vortex” video lessons, Michael Voris expresses a view of salvation theology which is similar to the errors of the Saint Benedict Center. In the video “The Vortex — On Being Saved” he states:

* “No one in heaven is anything but Catholic.
* “If you are saved, you are a Catholic. Period.”
* “There are no Muslims in Heaven. There are no Jews in Heaven.” (time mark 2:55)

He qualifies that a person might have been non-Catholic on earth, but then in his examples of this, he gives only Protestant denominations, not Jews or Muslims, or atheists, or other groups.

In light of ChurchMilitant.com support for the Saint Benedict Center, Voris needs to clarify his position and his group’s teaching on this topic.

Questions for Michael Voris

1. Do you, Michael Voris, believe that the teaching of the Saint Benedict Center, i.e. the only baptisms of desire and blood are those that bring the person to a baptism of water before death, is a dogma and the correct understanding of Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus?

2. Do you, Michael Voris, believe that it is heresy to assert that unbaptized persons, in this life, can be in the state of salvific grace (habitual grace) by an implicit baptism of desire?

3. Are you, Michael Voris, accusing the diocese of Manchester, NH, the CDF and, by implication, Pope Francis of changing dogma into heresy?

4. Do you, Michael Voris, believe that Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, other believers, agnostics, and atheists cannot possibly die in a state of grace, if they have sufficient accurate knowledge of Christianity, and yet outwardly reject membership in the Church by baptism?

5. Do you, Michael Voris, believe that salvation is granted ONLY to those who explicitly believe in Christ and have entered the Church by a baptism of water?

6. Soteriology is a very important part of Catholicism. Why haven’t you, Michael Voris, clarified your beliefs and teachings on these questions?

]]>https://ronconte.wordpress.com/2019/01/17/an-open-letter-to-michael-voris/feed/0ronconteThe Identity of the Antichrist: John, Revelation Danielhttps://ronconte.wordpress.com/2019/01/16/the-identity-of-the-antichrist-john-revelation-daniel/
https://ronconte.wordpress.com/2019/01/16/the-identity-of-the-antichrist-john-revelation-daniel/#commentsWed, 16 Jan 2019 22:40:39 +0000http://ronconte.wordpress.com/?p=7351Continue reading →]]>The Antichrist is an individual human person, not a nation or group of nations, not the Catholic Church, not merely a set of sinful ideas in secular society. He will be a real person, who gains control over nearly the whole world.

[1 John]
{2:18} Little sons, it is the last hour. And, as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have arrived. By this, we know that it is the last hour.
{2:19} They went out from among us, but they were not of us. For, if they had been of us, certainly they would have remained with us. But in this way, it is made manifest that none of them are of us.

The Letter of John refers to “the Antichrist” and then also to “many antichrists”. These are human persons, as is clear from his explanation that they were “among us”, but that they were never really “of us”. The “many antichrists” are persons who foreshadow the Antichrist in various ways: heretical leaders, apostates, wicked persons in religion, as well as the worst of the political leaders, such as Napoleon, Hitler, and the extremist leader of the Muslim extremists, who will initiate World War 4.

{2:22} Who is a liar, other than he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the Antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.

The Antichrist, the one human person in the future who will deserve that name, will deny that Jesus is the Christ, because he will claim to be the Christ, the Savior of the Jews and the Savior of the world. He must also deny the Father, since the Trinity is a Christian dogma, closely related to the Incarnation of Jesus. So the Antichrist denies the Trinity, and the Incarnation, so that he can claim to be the one God. (He is so arrogant that he doesn’t even want to claim to be one of the three Persons who are God.)

Now, the end times is divided into two parts, the lesser and greater tribulation, separated by an inter-tribulation period. The Antichrist rules during the greater tribulation (the second part of the tribulation). He is not in the world today, and he will not be part of the lesser tribulation (the first part of the tribulation). He is part of the greater tribulation, hundreds of years from now.

The first key to identifying the Antichrist is the timing.

1. Has the first part of the tribulation occurred yet? That set of events begins with the Muslim extremists conquering Europe in World War 3, and ends with the Three Days of Darkness. These things have not happened yet.

2. Has the inter-tribulation period occurred yet? Four kingdoms rise and fall during the inter-tribulation period. “And four great beasts, different from one another, ascended from the sea.” (Dan 7:3).

(a) The kingdom of the great Catholic monarch rules for many years, and then is divided into four parts (21st century AD) (b) In the next century (22nd century AD) Russia is the sole dominant superpower in the world. (c) In the next century, a four-nation alliance (Africa, India, China, and one other nation or region) replaces Russia as the sole dominant superpower (23rd century AD). (d) Finally, the world becomes divided into ten kingdoms only (24th century AD). These things have not happened yet.

3. The kingdom of the ten kings.

The inter-tribulation period ends with the kingdom of the ten kings ruling the world four about 100 years. After the four-nation alliance rules the world for a century or less, the other nations of the world seek to cast of their dominance. In addition, there is conflict within the alliance as to which of the four will have the most power, causing them to split up. A set of wars, battles, and negotiations occurs, the result of which is that the whole world becomes divided into ten kingdoms, ten sets of nations covering the whole world. This kingdom of the ten kings rules the world at the end of the inter-tribulation period, before the Antichrist has his reign. These things have not happened yet.

4. The Antichrist will be born in the late 24th century, and will take power in the early 25th century. This timing was determined by my study of eschatology, including the prophecies of Daniel, the book of Revelation, and the words of the Virgin Mary at La Salette. On that same basis, his actual rise to power over the whole world occurs from 2430 to 2431 in the A.D. calendar system. This timing will help the persons of that time period identify the Antichrist.

5. His father will be a Bishop and his mother will be a nun of Hebrew descent (per La Salette). His mother will claim that his conception was virginal; she will be a false virgin.

6. The number 666. He will have six letters in his first name, six letters in his middle name, and six letters in his last name: 666. In some ancient copies of the Book of Revelation, the number is 616, which stands for the six letters of his first and last names, and his middle initial: 616.

7. Who is the one true God? Not the Antichrist; he is merely human.

And he will not publicly proclaim himself to be God, or a god, or divine (whatever his explanation may be), until he controls the whole world. But as he rises to power, he will propose his divinity to his closest followers, as if it were a secret shared among them.

8. He defeats three kings.

[Daniel]
{7:8} I considered the horns, and behold, another little horn rose out of the midst of them. And three of the first horns were rooted out by its presence. And behold, eyes like the eyes of a man were in this horn, and a mouth speaking unnatural things.

The Antichrist first has little power, he is one of the ten kings in latter part of the kingdom of the ten kings. Then he defeats three kings: the king of the South (northern Africa, the Holy Land, the middle east), and then two more kings (Africa, China).

{11:25} And his strength and his heart will be enraged against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South will be provoked into going to war by having many allies and exceedingly good circumstances, and yet these will not stand, for they will form plans against him.

{11:27} And the heart of two kings will be similar, to do harm, and they will speak lies at one table, but they will not succeed, because as yet the end is for another time.

This pattern for his rise to power also indicates which leader is the Antichrist. But once he defeats those three other kings, he will have enough power to force the remaining six kings, in the kingdom of the ten kings, to obey him.

9. And next he enters the Sanctuary in Jerusalem, and he declares himself to be god.

He will pretend to have miraculous powers, which are accomplished by lies, deceit, technology, and the assistance of devils.

10. Proofs that he is not a god will be given to the world during his reign, repeatedly:

a. He gains control of the world by military force and political deception, which is not how a god would behave. Jesus won people over by His words and His example.

b. During his reign, there is a severe drought and a great famine. If he is god, why can’t he feed the populace or at least make it rain? Jesus could change water into wine, and could multiply loaves and fishes. Even Moses could strike a rock in the desert and cause a stream of clean water to flow out.

c. Not quite halfway into his reign, he goes to war against the kingdom of the South with a vast fleet, and yet a smaller fleet from elsewhere in the world intercepts his fleet and defeats him, causing him to retreat (Dan 11:30). If he is god, then why can’t his larger fleet of ships defeat a much smaller fleet?

d. During the last half of his reign, the two prophets (Enoch and Elijah) prophesy and strike the world with various afflictions, yet the Antichrist is powerless to stop them (Rev 11:6).

e. When the two prophets are finally permitted by God to be killed, they are raised from the dead and are assumed into heaven, in full view of the whole world, thus proving that their prophesies against the Antichrist are true (11:11-12).

f. When the Antichrist attempts a false ascension, supposedly to pursue them, he is cast down by the Archangel Michael and wounded beyond repair (Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette).

All of the above things indicate when the Antichrist will reign, how he might be identified, and how clear it will be that he is not a god.

]]>https://ronconte.wordpress.com/2019/01/16/the-identity-of-the-antichrist-john-revelation-daniel/feed/8ronconteCommenting is now open to all Readers (again)https://ronconte.wordpress.com/2019/01/15/commenting-is-now-open-to-all-readers-again/
https://ronconte.wordpress.com/2019/01/15/commenting-is-now-open-to-all-readers-again/#commentsTue, 15 Jan 2019 21:37:24 +0000http://ronconte.wordpress.com/?p=7349Continue reading →]]>The previous trial system, where only supporters could comment did not work well. So now almost all readers of the blog may comment on posts and ask questions in comments. Also, I’ve adjusted the benefits for each subscriber level, including adding a monthly newsletter for all levels.

Even so, Supporters may post longer comments, ask more questions, and receive more extensive answers on both of my blogs (The Reproach of Christ and Catholicism.io). Non-supporters will generally receive shorter answers.

A few readers may find themselves banned from commenting, due to past uncharitable remarks about my work. If you don’t think my work in theology is worthwhile, then what are you doing here?